Tottenham pushed by London mayor Boris Johnson to accept £17m final offer towards planned new stadium

Boris Johnson has urged Tottenham to accept a “final offer” of £17 million
towards their proposed new stadium development in north London in an
apparent attempt to persuade the club into abandoning their legal challenge
to the Olympic Stadium.

Johnson’s statement came after a meeting between his officials and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy on Wednesday, and just four days before inspectors from the International Association of Athetics Federations arrive in London to inspect the capital’s bid for the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

The bid relies entirely on the Olympic Stadium retaining a running track, but Tottenham have been granted a full judicial review of the decision to select West Ham as the preferred bidder. The legal uncertainty over the fate of the stadium is the major cloud over the bid.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson and Johnson have been trying to complete a deal before the IAAF arrive and had hoped that yesterday’s meeting would lead to a positive outcome.

Following the talks Levy declined to make a final commitment to a new stadium in Tottenham, however, claiming that the stadium requires a far greater public sector contribution and firmer guarantees. Levy and the club were unaware that Johnson intended to make the meeting public or issue a statement.

Tottenham are under significant moral pressure to lead the redevelopment of the area in the wake of last month’s riots, but they still want more certainty over the project. Their stance on Wednesday makes it more likely that they will proceed with the judicial review on Oct 18.

The mayor believes the £17 million offer, comprised of £8.5 million each from the Greater London Authority and Haringey, means the club will be relieved of all planning gain requirements often associated with large-scale developments.

Johnson said: “The club knows there is no more money available from the public purse and I sincerely hope that they accept the offer we have made. It is not just in the best interests of Tottenham Hotspur and the fans of this great London club, but of the wider north London community.”

Levy rejected Johnson’s demand, saying that it would be “irresponsible” to commit to north London without further guarantees.

“The proposed stadium scheme and wider area development have the potential to lever hundreds of millions of pounds worth of much-needed regenerative development to Tottenham. But we cannot be expected to do this single-handedly.

“We have seen land values fall again post the recent riots and this is a further concern for the club as they consider the nature of the investment. The overall scheme requires a complex package of financing of which the correct level and nature of public support is critical.

“It would be wholly irresponsible of us to announce we were proceeding with the scheme without the appropriate agreements and support firmly in place. Discussions are continuing with all the relevant stakeholders and we shall, as always, keep our supporters updated.”

Meanwhile, the Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone will undergo surgery on his ankle on Monday. He has made four appearances this season but has not taken the field since coming on as a substitute in the 5-1 home defeat by Manchester City on Aug 28.

“It’s a big blow for Tom,” manager Harry Redknapp said. “He’s a fantastic player and a good lad. He’ll back in the not-too-distant future hopefully but it’s going to be a while.”

Huddlestone has grown into a key player in the Tottenham squad since moving from Derby County in 2005 and captained his team in the memorable Champions League clashes with Inter Milan last year.